Don't take it personally

This week we attended Zack's transition meeting. Not that he is changing into a butterfly or anything, he is just growing into a big boy and will be off to school in September.

His Dad and I met with his new teacher, his existing nursery teacher, school nurse, vision teacher and his two physiotherapists.

It went well, we basically outlined a summary of Zack. Went a bit like this. Can be lazy. Don't be fooled. More there than you think. Make sure you push him. Will tell you if he doesn't like something. Will smile and laugh a lot if he is enjoying things. Will also sulk and ignore people. Don't take it personally.

Nursery teacher was lovely and explained how much he has grown in the two years he has spent there, how he is a lot more capable, stronger and definitely ready for school.

We decided upon some trial days for Zack, whereby he will go in for an hour or so and then one where he will go for a couple of hours and have his lunch there. This gives me the opportunity to talk with the nurse about his blended diet (so not the norm for tube fed kids) and his care plan. This will be about his epilepsy, which again can be summed up as, can have some quite bad days, often he is very good, just has a few seconds of stiffening his whole body then he relaxes, not bothered by them, don't worry about it.

Seems when he starts school he will be straight in to full on days. Oh what a year of changes this is. Don't think my life has ever been quiet since I had Zack. I often think it would be extremely dull too.

Wagon Wheel anybody?

It has started.

The extension and adaption is fully under way. I came home Monday lunch time, opened the back door and there was a man in a hole up to his shoulders.

Hello I said, you work quick.

Yep, he replied, we're like moles.

Indeed they were.

I now have footings. A dodgy back part of my existing kitchen that may or may not get knocked down, a choice of brick to make, a kitchen to decide on and it's only three days into the little project.

What do you do when this happens? Book a holiday for a week's time, that's what. Yes, we are now going to Devon for a week.

And, Scarlett has the chicken pox. Seems she wasn't the carrier, her adorable brother was. Compared to her he had it mild. Poor little girl is covered in them, which equals a lot of agitation. Which means me giving in to her bad food choices, Wagon Wheel anybody?


Here are some pictures of the beginning. Read this blog in three months time and I'll either be checked in to the Priory, an alcoholic or pleasantly relaxed and enjoying a new kitchen.

Before. Back of house. Note tree growing out of neighbours chimney

Hole.

Brick stuff.

Chicken Pox, Shmicken Pox

Honestly, life is never just quiet for me. Drama, drama, drama.

Two weeks the Pants has been granted, two weeks release from Nursery for half term. When did half term get to two weeks, I never had that luxury. First week, weather not so great. Second week oh hello sunshine and hello Chicken Pox.

Yes the boy got the Pox. I had been dreading this, wondering if this childhood virus would send his seizures soaring, cause him distress, the list in my head goes on. But Chicken Pox, Shmicken Pox, Zack seemed to have stuck two fingers up to it.

I noticed two spots on his back last weekend. Thinking they were bites I just ignored them. Next day some more spots and the classic blistering. Great. He had been a bit off for a couple of weeks, nothing serious just a bit stroppy and the couple of days before the spots appeared, teary and wanting to be cuddled all the time. In fact the night before the big outbreak he was not for sleeping until in the end he had firm words off Dan and I. Major guilt the next day for telling him off, when we realised what was wrong.

So yes a bit of Chicken Pox. How's that for fun? Oh Zack hadn't finished. This weekend he decided that it would be really funny to pull out his Mic-Key button, complete with blown up balloon. Having only watched the nurse do this procedure, and never completed one myself, I attempted to reinsert the button. Would it go in with ease. No. That would be too easy.

Zack and I went on an afternoon trip to Alder Hey A& E. Could the nurse get the button in, nope. We had to try to widen the hole slowly using suction tubes. Four hours later, one fantastic nurse, one upset little boy and one stressed mummy thankfully had a button back in its rightful place.

And now to add to the dramatic twists and turns of our lives the building work begins on Zack's adaption and our extension next week. Hello mess. Expect pictures, lots of pictures, it's going to be like Grand Designs, except not that grand, or have that posh bloke saying he doesn't think we are going to do it all within budget. Come on, I'm ready.